Monday, July 6, 2009

Gardening Books and Cutter Ants

While watering this evening, I wondered if collecting gardening books was a little like collecting diet books. Is it a postponement of the inevitable? Does it keep one in a state of fantasy?

The day I bought this next book in New Normal, at a Half Priced Book Store near the hospital, I had really high, lofty rose hopes. My roses were going to explode with supernaturally beautiful blooms.

That was the fantasy. The reality is…

CUTTER ANTS.

There is not a single chapter on cutter ants in any of my gardening books.

This is their All You Can Eat Buffet table. They have now stripped 6 of my rose bushes.

We have tried everything. I even tried to track down a product called Volcano, recommended to me by Miss Dixie in French Lique. This nice gentleman I called at a feed and seed store in Jasper, Texas said, “No m’am. They don’t make that anymore.”

I have enlisted my small band of troops. My husband has gone out at night to track them back to their bed. He has dusted and sprayed. I can almost hear them laughing.

My father’s comment, after he tried one of his home remedies?

“Sorry little devils,” (an expression he usually reserves for the IRS) .

Hi Laura...I've heard of them but have no idea whatsoever what you could do. We have millions of those tiny little sugar ants...and are constantly invaded. They kill the plants by burrowing down into their roots and makeing their home. Watering the plant has little effect and I have all sort of sprays and powders. I think they are FOFL at us too...so don't feel bad!Wow..those are bad news..cutter ants!!Good luck. I hope you find something soon.

You may have already tried this, but I check at A&M and research had been done on Amdro Ant Block with some success. I also looked in my Neil Sperry book with no luck. Hope you get the sorry little devils!Debbie

Laura...I have something called Ant B Gon Dust..and it says for Carpenter Ants. Says for Ants and Carpenter Ants. Is that anything like Cutter Ants? Says they get it on their legs and carry it back to their nest...so far it has worked for me but no idea about Carpenter Ants..or Cutter Ants. It is put out by Ortho. I just got this stuff and thought I would go out and look at the container. Just names those two Ants...

Sorry, I'm no help either.I don't think I've actually ever heard of cutter ants. I've got something munching away in my herb garden. I've done the whole organic thing since I use my herb garden to cook with but now I'm taking the stand of it's me against them and I'm going to win ~ who cares if my family gets sick? I'll have won the blue ribbon against bugs! :)

Laura,Their not so distant cousins are currently residing in my garden and are the bane of its existence! I have attempted many products just short of Agent Orange to no avail. If you find a solution please pass it on. Your new garden book is lovely!Cathy

dang-it! No more volcano! wonder if they replaced it with something else... (wonder why they quit making it!) well, i'm off the Texas A&M site to see what I can find... if I find anything... you'll be the first to know! yikes! your dad is right... those little buggers will devastate your garden!

I have loads of ants...well HAD...I took sunlight dish soap...(just the lemon stuff) and squirted the area that they had to take to get to my plants...it seems to be working. The dish soap will not harm the plants...but it does hurt them...it breaks down their bodies! It is kind of like using insecticidal soap...only cheaper. You can use it in a spray bottle too...I was just desperate enough to get rid of them that I squeezed it out full strength. If you can figure out where they live...dump a bunch there too!! good luck with this...ants are awful! Last year they dropped off a load of aphids that ravaged my greenhouse seedlings and tortured me! I think I have got them kind of under control now...next...to sneak to my neighbors house to rid his garden...as they keep visiting mine!

I recently came accross your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I dont know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.

Welcome

Welcome! White Spray Paint is all about enjoying the simple things in life. Whether I am writing about my adventures at the flea market, or writing my Dear Daughters' posts, or sharing a new Ranch Recipe, or tackling a new gardening project, I am usually laughing along the way and enjoying the journey. Why the name White Spray Paint? Because my mother taught me years ago in home decor, 'when all else fails Laura Ellen, spray paint it white'. It is a description of those simple pleasures that you will find here. Won't you join me? I hope so!Laura